global warming NASA Finds 2011 Ninth-Warmest Year on Record

[Muhammad Farrukh]

The global average surface temperature in 2011 was the ninth warmest since 1880, according to NASA scientists. The finding continues a trend in which nine of the 10 warmest years in the modern meteorological record have occurred since the year 2000.

NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York, which monitors global surface temperatures on an ongoing basis, released an updated analysis that shows temperatures around the globe in 2011 compared to the average global temperature from the mid-20th century. The comparison shows how Earth continues to experience warmer temperatures than several decades ago. The average temperature around the globe in 2011 was 0.92 degrees F (0.51 C) warmer than the mid-20th century baseline.

Global temperatures have warmed significantly since 1880, the beginning of what scientists call the "modern record." At this time, the coverage provided by weather stations allowed for essentially global temperature data. As greenhouse gas emissions from energy production, industry and vehicles have increased, temperatures have climbed, most notably since the late 1970s. In this animation of temperature data from 1880-2011, reds indicate temperatures higher than the average during a baseline period of 1951-1980, while blues indicate lower temperatures than the baseline average.

"We know the planet is absorbing more energy than it is emitting," said GISS Director James E. Hansen. "So we are continuing to see a trend toward higher temperatures. Even with the cooling effects of a strong La Ni?a influence and low solar activity for the past several years, 2011 was one of the 10 warmest years on record."

The difference between 2011 and the warmest year in the GISS record (2010) is 0.22 degrees F (0.12 C). This underscores the emphasis scientists put on the long-term trend of global temperature rise. Because of the large natural variability of climate, scientists do not expect temperatures to rise consistently year after year. However, they do expect a continuing temperature rise over decades.

The first 11 years of the 21st century experienced notably higher temperatures compared to the middle and late 20th century, Hansen said. The only year from the 20th century in the top 10 warmest years on record is 1998.

Higher temperatures today are largely sustained by increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide. These gases absorb infrared radiation emitted by Earth and release that energy into the atmosphere rather than allowing it to escape to space. As their atmospheric concentration has increased, the amount of energy "trapped" by these gases has led to higher temperatures.

While average global temperature will still fluctuate from year to year, scientists focus on the decadal trend. Nine of the 10 warmest years since 1880 have occurred since the year 2000, as the Earth has experienced sustained higher temperatures than in any decade during the 20th century. As greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels continue to rise, scientists expect the long-term temperature increase to continue as well.

The carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere was about 285 parts per million in 1880, when the GISS global temperature record begins. By 1960, the average concentration had risen to about 315 parts per million. Today it exceeds 390 parts per million and continues to rise at an accelerating pace.

The temperature analysis produced at GISS is compiled from weather data from more than 1,000 meteorological stations around the world, satellite observations of sea surface temperature and Antarctic research station measurements. A publicly available computer program is used to calculate the difference between surface temperature in a given month and the average temperature for the same place during 1951 to 1980. This three-decade period functions as a baseline for the analysis.

The resulting temperature record is very close to analyses by the Met Office Hadley Centre in the United Kingdom and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

Hansen said he expects record-breaking global average temperature in the next two to three years because solar activity is on the upswing and the next El Ni?o will increase tropical Pacific temperatures. The warmest years on record were 2005 and 2010, in a virtual tie.

"It's always dangerous to make predictions about El Ni?o, but it's safe to say we'll see one in the next three years," Hansen said. "It won't take a very strong El Ni?o to push temperatures above 2010."

NASA

[majortom1981]

I can see this. Here on long island its been 40's all winter with very little snow. That is extremely warm for this time of year. Heck yesterday and today are in the 50's.

[willard27]

What about the previous 2,000 years? When will that data be released?

[Muhammad Farrukh]

In the next 2000 years

[ANON86364]

While the graph certainly looks alarming, I don't think anyone could confirm anything with it. Man is always trying to act like it's the center of the world but in actuality this data is insignificant. Given that we only have records for the short time of us being intelligent enough to do so, and in comparison to how old this planet is, we have absolutely no idea what normal is let alone the natural trends we should expect.

[remixedcat]

yes this winter has been very mild and it sucks becuase i thought my gas bill would be lower then last "brutal" winter and it's actually higher!!!!

****es me off!

if my gas bill's gonna stay high bring on the freaking blizzards! not be mild as **** and leave me broke.

[Detection]

Apparently in just over 30 mins we are about to be hit with the biggest solar flare radiation storm since 2005

Early this morning (0359 GMT Jan. 23, which corresponds to late Sunday, Jan. 22 at 10:59 p.m. EST), NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory caught an extreme ultraviolet flash from a huge eruption on the sun , according to the skywatching website Spaceweather.com.

The solar flare spewed from sunspot 1402, a region of the sun that has become increasingly active lately. Several NASA satellites, including the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), and the Stereo spacecraft observed the massive sun storm.

A barrage of charged particles triggered by this morning's solar flare is expected to hit Earth tomorrow at around 9 a.m. EST (1400 GMT), according to experts at the Space Weather Prediction Center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [Video & photos of the huge solar flare]

http://www.space.com...olar-storm.html

Hope it hurries up, I`m freezing

[remixedcat]

didn't it hit allready on sunday?

[Detection]

didn't it hit allready on sunday?

No idea, I know the northern lights were visible all over the place, but I think that was something else causing that, I haven't read up on it, just found that info a few mins ago

EDIT -

This SDO image (AIA 193) shows an M9-class solar flare erupting on the Sun's northeastern hemisphere at 03:49 UT on Jan. 23, 2012... just 4 days after a previous strong CME that sparked aurora around the world on the 22nd. More geomagnetic activity is expected for the 24th.

http://www.space.com/14319-huge-solar-eruption-sparks-radiation-storm.html

[Muhammad Farrukh]

Me likes Winters

Sadly, in my region, even winters are not that cold.

[remixedcat]

I love my cold as well... I hate sunny days...

[Astra.Xtreme]

Hopefully the trend goes back down in coming years and proves it's a cycle. I'm tired of this data fueling the fire for the global warming hippies.

[MidnightDevil]

So... no electric grids going down.. no auroras on the northern hemisphere seen "all over"? :(

[DocM]

And weather =! climate.

Our winter is spotty warm with cold, ice & snow spells - pretty normal. I do not want a return to the -70?F wind chills and 30" snows of my youth, but that part of our ~42 year cycle will return.